Average lifespan of buildings

The lifespan of buildings in Flanders is increasing, a trend that is completely in line with the circular model. This indicator shows the average lifespan of buildings in order to get an idea of the evolution of this lifespan and determine how circular our buildings are.

57.2 years

  • In 2020 there were still more than 213,000 buildings from before 1900.
  • In 2020 the average lifespan of buildings was 57.2 years.

What do we see?

In 2020 the average lifespan of buildings was 57.2 years. This figure follows the same, relatively constant, upward trend of recent years. Despite the fact that renovation is not taken into account, this is one of the ways to increase the lifespan of buildings.



What’s the aim?

In a circular economy, we strive to keep products and materials in circulation as long as possible. A longer lifespan of buildings is therefore completely in line with this model. This way, we not only use something that already exists for longer, but we also reduce the need for new buildings. However, we do need to take into account the efficiency of buildings as a lower level of efficiency can lead to higher material consumption in the use phase. Renovation is a good strategy to increase that efficiency and extend the lifespan. 

What does this indicator measure?

This indicator shows the average lifespan of buildings. These figures are calculated based on building stock statistics from Statbel. 

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